1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to zoom lenses, and more particularly to high range, large relative aperture zoom lenses employing the rear focus method suited to still cameras, video cameras, or TV cameras for broadcast.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, as zoom lenses of relatively high zoom ratio with large relative aperture used in the still cameras or video cameras, there is the so-called 4-unit zoom lens. This 4-unit zoom lens comprises, from front to rear, a first lens unit or group for focusing, a second lens unit or group for varying the image magnification, a third lens unit or group for compensating for image shift resulting from the variation of the image magnification, and a fourth lens unit or group for adjusting the focal lengths of the entire system and balancing correction of aberrations. In the 4-unit zoom lens, there are arranged two lens units or groups for zooming and one lens unit or group for focusing, totalling three lens units or groups made axially movable. For this reason, the structure of construction of the lens mounting tended to become relatively complicated. Also, because focusing down to shorter object distances is performed by moving the first lens unit or group frontward, for a sufficient off-axis light beam is secured, the diameter of the front lens units or group tended to increase.
From these reasons, a variety of zoom lenses in which the focusing provision is made in other than the first lens unit or group, or employing the so-called rear focus method have been proposed.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,642, for a 4-unit zoom lens, the third lens unit or group is made movable for focusing. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,251, also for a 4-unit zoom lens, the second and third lens units or groups are made to move as a unit or group when focusing is performed. Also, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. Sho 58-136012 proposes a zoom lens whose the zooming section is constructed with three or more lens units or groups, and whose focusing is performed by moving part of the zoom units or groups. However, these zoom lenses, though each having its front lens unit or group reduced in diameter, get a feature that the locus of movement of the focusing lens unit differs largely between an infinitely distant object and a close object. Therefore, a spare space must previously be secured in the lens system. So the total length of the zoom lens tended to increase. Another method is that the fourth lens unit or group of the 4-unit zoom lens is divided into two parts, one of which is made movable for focusing, as disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Utility Model No. Sho 59-63314. However, in this zoom, lens, because the total sum of movable lens units or groups amounts up to 3, the complexity of structure of the lens mounting mechanism tended to increase.